The Sask. Party’s health policies definitely benefit consultants, private corporations and senior managers – while seniors wait far too long for help in understaffed care homes. That misplaced priority is the focus of the newest commercial from the NDP.
Released Monday on TV and online, the ad is a sequel to one focused on health care wait times already on the air.
“The feedback from Saskatchewan families on that commercial has been overwhelming,” said New Democrat campaign manager Frank Quennell. “The truth of it hits close to home for all of us – people have been calling and sending messages about their own family’s experience in the emergency room.
“Now we’re talking about our province’s seniors, because they deserve so much better. We’ve seen the Sask. Party chip away at staffing levels and at care standards, and plow ahead with the Lean program in seniors care homes. That was during a boom. Now that they’re running a deficit and targeting health care with their cuts, families are very worried about what comes next for their loved ones in care.”
NDP Leader Cam Broten first put a spotlight on seniors care in Saskatchewan three years ago – leading to dozens of families speaking out about low staffing levels and a lack of standards hurting their loved one, or even causing their death.
“The horrific and heart-breaking story of Margaret Warholm’s death – starved and covered in bedsores – that wasn’t enough to cause the Sask. Party to seriously address the seniors care crisis. Other families came forward, and Cam Broten pushed for regulation to ensure minimum staffing levels, and the Sask. Party used their majority to crush that effort.
“The fact is, covering up the problems in seniors care and pushing their Lean program appears to be the Sask. Party’s priority in seniors care. Residents – grandmas and grandpas, Saskatchewan’s builders – just aren’t their priority now.”
The commercial with background and facts for voters, can be found at nottheirpriority.ca, along with the health care wait times ad in the series.